CORRESPONDING MEMBER OF THE INSTITUTE OF FRANCE; "" AS THE EARTH BRINGETH FORTH HER BUD, AND AS THE GARDEN CAUSETH THE THINGS THAT ARE SOWN IN IT TO SPRING FORTH; SO THE LORD GOD WILL CAUSE RIGHTEOUSNESS AND PRAISE TO SPRING FORTH BEFORE ALL THE NATIONS."-Isaiah. DIE GESCHICHTE IST DAS WISSEN DER MENSCHHEIT VON SICH, IHRE SELBSTGEWISSHEIT. SIE IST NICHT DAS LICHT UND DIE WAHRHEIT,' ABER EIN SUCHEN DANACH, EINE PREDIGT DARAUF, EINE WEIHE DAZU; DEM JOHANNES GLEICH: οὐκ ἦν τὸ φῶς, ἀλλ ̓ ὅτι μαρτυρήσῃ περὶ του pwrós."-Droysen. HISTORICAL PHILOSOPHY IN FRANCE AND FRENCH BELGIUM AND SWITZERLAND BY ROBERT FLINT WILLIAM BLACKWOOD AND SONS MDCCCXCIII All Rights reserved O 2 6 D 11 R TR TO GL 2 3-88 PREFACE. ALMOST twenty years ago the Author published a volume in which he endeavoured to describe and criticise the principal attempts which had been made in France and Germany philosophically to comprehend and explain the history of mankind. Had he not been called soon afterwards to a position which required for a considerable number of years almost exclusive devotion to a different order of studies, that volume would have been followed by one dealing in a similar way with the course and succession of historical philosophies in Italy and England. But before he could resume the work, he had become so convinced of the necessity of altering and enlarging his plan, as well as of endeavouring to improve the execution, that he has allowed the volume which he had published to remain out of print for nearly a dozen years, during which it has only been known through the excellent French translation of the late M. Carrau. He now believes himself to be able to make his work, instead of simply a connected series of studies, a real and comprehensive history; and, if life and strength be granted, to carry it on steadily, although not perhaps rapidly, to completion. 230307 |